Going for the Gold: Winter Olympics Kick Off Tonight
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Tonight is the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Despite the rain that's been falling, the games will go on. Who's set to bring home the gold? What's up with super-skier Lindsay Vonn, who suffered a recent injury, and what about snowboarder Shaun White? What athletes have the opportunity to redeem themselves after poor showings in the last games? Guest host Sara Terry ponders whether in Women's Luge, it could be the year for an American. Also, China protests the Dalai Lama's White House visit, and the State Board of Education in Texas may be writing history for the country.
Banner image: Day 106 of the Olympic Torch Relay as the Olympic flame makes its way from Vancouver to BC Place in British Columbia
Main Topic
Going for the Gold: Winter Olympics Kick Off Tonight ()
Canadians might be welcoming spring weather in British Columbia in the middle of winter, except that the 2010 Olympic Games open in Vancouver tonight -- and you need snow for that. Officials say that rain may postpone outdoor events for a few days, but otherwise the XXI Winter Games will go ahead as planned. Who's expected to shine? Will Canada finally win a gold medal while hosting the games? Are the new figure skating rules working out? How is Vancouver coping with the mammoth logistics of staging the event? What about danger in winter sports? Are the games becoming too extreme? We speak with sports writers and photographers in Vancouver.
On a tragic note, as we were discussing the dangers of more extreme Olympic sports, the IOC announced that 21-year-old Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili has been killed while training.
Guests:
- Alan Abrahamson: Reporter, NBC Olympics, @alanabrahamson
- Philip Hersh: Olympics Reporter, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times
- David Wallechinsky: Olympic historian
- Jeff Lee: Lead Olympics News Writer, Vancouver Sun
- David Burnett: Photojournalist-founder, Contact Press Images
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Making News
China Protests the Dalai Lama’s White House Visit ()
China spoke out again today against President Obama's upcoming meeting with the Dalai Lama next week at the White House. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the US and China have always discussed their disputes and will continue to do so. Mike Chinoy, senior fellow at the US-China Institute at the University of Southern California, is a former Beijing Bureau Chief for CNN.
Guests:
- Mike Chinoy: Senior Fellow, Pacific Council on International Policy, @mikechinoy
Reporter's Notebook
How Texas Conservatives May Be Rewriting Your Kids' Textbooks ()
The country's most influential state board of education is also one of the most conservative. Now those values are shaping curriculum that will affect students across the country for the next ten years. Mariah Blake, editor of the Washington Monthly, offers us a quick primer on the battle over textbooks at the Texas Board of Education.
Guests:
- Mariah Blake: Editor, Washington Monthly
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